Off-campus recycling within reach for SGA, Mount Pleasant

Expanding off-campus recycling services might become a top priority for the Student Government Association and city officials in the weeks and months ahead.

The SGA has been looking to implement an off-campus recycling program since 2010. In 2011, SGA passed a resolution unanimously through both the House and the Senate recommending landlords provide recycling services at apartment complexes, where recycling services often lack.

The task, since then, has been in the hands of the recently formed sustainability committee. Still, most students who live in off-campus apartments do not have access to recycling options within those complexes.

A change to the make-up of the Mount Pleasant City Commission and possible action from the SGA means the issue of off-campus recycling might come to the forefront again.

City Commissioner Matthew Sous, who was elected to the City Commission in November, said increasing recycling opportunities at apartment complexes is one of his primary focuses.

"It doesn't make much sense either way," Sous said. "An apartment should have access to recycling. I am pretty hopeful that this will be coming up this year."

Sous said he plans to discuss the issue in upcoming strategy meetings with the commission but says the issue is more complicated than it seems on a surface level.

"I wouldn't say I've met anyone who was opposed to more recycling, but we are dealing with two different municipalities: Mount Pleasant and Union Township," Sous said. "Many apartment complexes are located within Union Township, and we're going to have to work together to address this. This might be a challenge we will have to work through."

Sous said even though this is an issue that the student body, as a whole, cares about, he has yet to hear students voice their opinions on the topic to Mount Pleasant officials.

"I have been to several city commission meetings so far," Sous said. "I have yet to see anyone talk about this subject."

Justin Gawronski, the SGA president, is confident the SGA will be able to take action and make a difference in the near future.

"Frankly, I don't know what the other SGAs were doing," Gawronski said. "We should be able to move on this and make an impact"